Sweden’s Ängie on Mental Health, Controversy and Sexuality in Music

In short, Ängie is the epitome of one-of-a-kind.

Emerging in 2016 with the bold, gritty Smoke Weed Eat Pussy, the openly-bisexual Swede appears on a mission to tackle the taboo with each intriging, colourful release. With debut LP Suicidal Since 1995 set with an April release date, the album’s lead single Dope now arrives accompanied with an equally-wonderful video, joining the ranks of her well-worth-a-watch previous clips.

In line with the video release, Ängie talks tackling mental health and sexuality within her music and what she makes of the controvesy-tinted buzz she’s accumiliated on her way to inevitable stardom.

Ängie’s Dope video is out now. Check out our quick Q&A below:

Going right back to the start of your career, was ‘finding your sound’ an easy process for you when you began making music as Ängie?

I don’t really see myself with a sound yet. I like doing all different types of music, but I know I like bass. 🙂

Each of the four singles have been pretty unique from each other, both sonically and with accompanying visuals. Is this an intentional step?

Maybe. It’s a way of expressing all my sides. Every song has got its own character from my own persona.

The LGBTQ+ community have definitely gravitated towards your music, how important is it to you present your own sexuality in your music/art?

I don’t really think of my sexuality as something I want people to focus on, but I want to be a role model for the people who are shy about their true selves. I want people to be honest with themselves and the world.

It’s been really interesting to watch how your lyrics have opened up conversations online surrounding marijuana being legalised. How important is it to you to write/sing about smoking, with the ever-on-going debate on whether it’s a help or a hindrance?

I want it to be legalized but I also want people to know that it’s really hard to get out of your house if the first thing you do in the morning is roll one… hehe.

With Suicidal Since 1995 due in April, what are some unlikely sources of inspiration that have fed into the album?

I’m not sure what I’ve been inspired by. It’s about my life and subjects I want to talk about. It’s like an open diary. Every song from the album is a true story.

Mental health is another topic usually shielded from pop music and, as a young person myself, seeing someone like yourself addressing mental health feels incredibly refreshed and necessary. Why do you think it is still considered a taboo topic in music?

Suicidal thoughts is my biggest inspiration I think. I think suicidal thoughts are more common than you think and I want people to know that. Things can look so damn sparkly on the internet but behind all that most people are terrified of everything.

You’ve had “most shocking pop star” and “most controversial star” labels tied to you since the release of Smoke Weed Eat Pussy, what do you make to these statements? Do you ever wonder if these reactions would have been different if you were straight male?

Haha.. cus im a girl or what? that is all i have to say. I think I would have more haters if I was a man… People are nasty.

What’s the most important message you want your listeners to take away from Suicidal Since 1995 and what’s the #1 goal for 2018?

SuicidalSince1995 is not a message about that I want to kill myself. It’s more about that I’ve felt shitty my whole life, but I’m still alive making something of my life. I’m still trying. To play more live and feel good about my life and stop asking myself questions I can’t answer. Try to live in the moment a bit more.